Long-Held Theory About Biological Clocks Overturned By U-M Discovery

Long-Held Theory About Biological Clocks Overturned By U-M Discovery
University of Michigan mathematicians and their British colleagues say they have identified the signal that the brain sends to the rest of the body to control biological rhythms, a finding that overturns a long-held theory about our internal clock. Understanding how the human biological clock works is an essential step toward correcting sleep problems like insomnia and jet lag.

All Sleep is Not Created Equal
In my last blog we were reviewing the fundamental question of why we sleep.  We left off trying to sort out the level of activity of the brain and body during different stages of sleep (i.e. Non-REM and REM).    During non-REM the body and brain are at their most relaxed state.  Ironically, most people think of REM as deep sleep, but actually during REM the level of brain activity resembles the awake state.  Our most...

Causes and Symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome
We started our discussion about restless legs syndrome (RLS) in my recent blog, so let’s continue where we left off.   Mild symptoms of RLS occur in 5-15% of the general population, which makes it the second or third most common sleep disorder.  Of these cases, only about 2-3% are considered clinically severe enough to require treatment.  It appears to occur more commonly in females and can even affect children.  Due...

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
It's annoying for anyone to have a buzzing mosquito flying around the room. They land for an instant, never long enough to swat them, but just enough to arouse, then off they go again for another circle of the room. This is not only irritating to a child but can be downright frightening.   To help keep mosquitoes and other flying insects out of the house, make sure doors are closed quickly. Don't stand and chat with a neighbor with the...

Cephalon Announces That FDA Grants Priority Review Of Its Supplemental New Drug Application For NUVIGIL As A Treatment For Excessive Sleepiness
Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a priority review for its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for NUVIGIL(R) (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV], which was filed in June of this year. The FDA decision on approval of NUVIGIL as a treatment for improving wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness associated with jet lag disorder due to eastbound travel is expected by December 29, 2009.

Behavior and Childhood Sleep Disorders
A recent news article states: "Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with behavior problems in children with asthma, researchers have found."   But behavior problems are often linked to any type of sleep disordered breathing. It was discovered that approximately a third of children with asthma also had sleep disordered breathing resulting from some form of sleep disorders. Those children had significantly worse behavior...

Coffee for Babies?
Research out of the University of Toronto suggests that babies who are given caffeine have a different sleep pattern and may develop sleep abnormalities. But health problems, especially sleep related, may develop much earlier, well before the baby is born.   Pregnancy There has long been conflicting arguments for and against drinking coffee during pregnancy. Drinking coffee was once thought to cause miscarriages. However, a more recent...

Light At Night Linked To Symptoms Of Depression In Mice
Too much light at night can lead to symptoms of depression, according to a new study in mice. Researchers found that mice housed in a lighted room 24 hours a day exhibited more depressive symptoms than did similar mice that had a normal light-dark cycle.

House panel approves healthcare reform bill

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved a sweeping bill designed to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, clearing the way for a vote by the full House in the fall. More at...

Natural remedies such as St. John's wort and fish oil can cause harm if taken in the wrong doses or in conjunction with other drugs, experts say. More at...

Most people know that sleep apnea is a leading cause of death from heart attacks and strokes. However recent research has revealed that sleep apnea is a leading cause of death from many causes, even in people judged to be healthy.   Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore revealed that men aged 40 to 70 with severe sleep apnea were twice as likely to die as men in the same age group who did not suffer from the disorder.... More at...

  With the hectic lifestyles most of us lead these days, napping has become almost a way of life. Think naps are for sissies? Listen. Even the sports teams are getting into it.   "A lot of things may change in the NHL," Scott Mellanby of the Atlanta Thrashers says, "but not naps. It's just a part of being a hockey player."   One complaint from participants in the Olympics is sleep deprivation. With jet lag and getting used to... More at...

Despite the fact that humans will spend roughly one-third of their lives asleep, scientists still don't know why we do it. More at...

A health reporter talks about how you can prioritize the use of your employer's insurance if you believe you're in danger of losing it. More at...